Disclaimer: Boys Over Flowers doesn't belong to me. I own no copyrights over them whatsoever. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
…
Ga Eul stared at the scrapbook she was holding. She didn't know what Yi Jung's up to but she's willing to find out. She slowly turned to the next page. She can feel her blood rise to her face.
That second page showed a picture of her hugging the first teddy bear Yi Jung gave her. The other picture was Yi Jung pouting at the scene before him. That day was their first real date together. Yi Jung surprised her when he arrived at her apartment carrying that human-sized teddy bear and he asked her to go on a date with him. If she remembers correctly, that was a week after he arrived from Sweden.
September 15, 2007
I know you know what happened the day this picture was taken. Go there my sweet little country bumpkin. Something awaits you there.
P.S. : I know teddy bears are cuddly but I know they can't match me.
Ga Eul smiled. She knows exactly where to go. She closed the scrapbook and started her journey.
Flashback :) [September 15, 2007]
Yi Jung parked his orange sports car on the driveway. He turned off the engine and went out his car. He walked to the passenger's seat and pulled out the human-sized teddy bear he bought for his girlfriend. It was a typical white teddy bear with a scarf around its neck. Yi Jung added an extra accessory on it. He had a necklace designed; a white gold necklace with a maple leaf as a pendant. Engraved in the middle of the maple leaf was a "Y" and little diamond stones surrounded the edges of the maple leaf. The teddy bear had the necklace on and Yi Jung just wishes that Ga Eul will have the idea that the necklace was hers and not the teddy bear's. It was just his way of presenting it to her.
After a moment of composing himself, he rummaged his pocket for Ga Eul's keys. She traded the keys of her apartment to the keys of Yi Jung's studio when they became official. They can come and go to their places as long as they don't leave a mess and ask each other's permission. He finally got the hold of her the keys and inserted it to the knob. He opened the door and popped his head to her apartment.
He can see her in the kitchen cooking but she didn't notice his presence. Yi Jung went inside and stared at her. He put down the teddy bear on the sofa and took a step forward. She still didn't acknowledge his presence and it confused Yi Jung. 'Why is she ignoring me?' He thought. Then he heard Ga Eul muttering something. It was like she's singing. Yi Jung took another step forward and looked at her clearly. 'Oh… She's wearing her earphones.' He can't hide the amusement on his face while staring at her. She looked rather cute in her PJ's especially when she's singing like that. He chuckled and decided to let her know he's there. He walked silently to her and put his hands over her eyes. Ga Eul jumped at his action and tried to pull his hands away.
"Who the hell are you? Hey!" Ga Eul frantically shouted. She was panicking.
Yi Jung smirked and her arms suddenly travelled to her waist. He hugged her tightly from behind and let his chin rest on her shoulder. He was wrong to do that because after a few seconds he was lying on the floor, crying out in pain and clutching his stomach. Apparently, Ga Eul instinctively elbowed him on the ribs, turned around and kicked his shin. It happened so suddenly that Yi Jung didn't have the time to defend himself. Ga Eul glared at the man who dared touch her but her face suddenly softened when she realized who the man was.
"Oh… Yi Jung-sunbae…" It was barely audible for Yi Jung to hear. As guilt entered her, she bit her lip and tried to pull Yi Jung up.
"Ow! That hurt Ga Eul! I didn't know you know martial arts. Aaaaugh!" He said, frustrated.
"Well, you deserve it! How dare you scare me like that?" Ga Eul angrily retorted. She looked away and went back to her cooking. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Why? Don't you want me here?" Yi Jung looked at her in disbelief.
With that, Ga Eul looked up and no trace of irritation was visible in her face. Instead, she looked like she was thinking on what to say. "Okay then… If you don't want me here, I'll be going now… I just want to surprise you, that's all…" Yi Jung said, disappointed. He turned around and was about to walk away when Ga Eul called him.
"Sunbae!" Yi Jung stopped but didn't look at her. He was still sad to know that she didn't want him there. "Wait… I was just… I didn't expect you to come… Sorry…" She walked over to him and hugged him from behind. "Sorry sunbae."
Yi Jung loosened her grip and turned around. He held her shoulders and he saw her eyes watery, as if begging for his forgiveness. He cupped her cheek and caressed it lightly. "You know I can't be mad at you." He pulled her waist and enveloped her into a hug. She didn't hesitate to hug him back. Yi Jung stroked her hair gently and inhaled her sweet berry scent. "I have something for you…" He whispered to her ear.
He pulled back and grabbed Ga Eul's wrist. He dragged her to the living room. As they were going there, Ga Eul stopped in her tracks. She stood still and stared at the teddy bear in awe. She felt her jaw drop and she can feel her cheeks flush. Yi Jung gave his classic smirk. After what seemed like forever, he decided to break her trance. "Ga Eul? Don't you like it?" He raised his eyebrow at her.
Ga Eul snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him. "No! I love it! Gosh… It's big!" Ga Eul ran to the teddy bear and hugged it tightly. "It's soooo cute! I'm going to name her… Hea! Isn't it cute? Awwwww." She continued hugging Hea and pinching her cheeks.
Yi Jung pouted at the sight. Ga Eul ignored him completely after she saw the bear. "Sooo… She's more huggable than me now?"
Ga Eul shot his head up and giggled at him. He looks adorable when he does that pouting thing of his. She stood up from beside Hea and slowly walked to him. She gave him her radiant smile that Yi Jung came to love. "Sorry sunbae. I got overly excited." She pulled him into a tight hug and squealed. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The bear's so cute!" She gave him a light peck on the cheeks and walked back to Hea again. Yi Jung sighed and suddenly regretted buying the bear for her.
He sat on the couch across them and looked down the floor. 'Gaaaah… I didn't know Ga Eul would be too fond of the bear that she would actually ignore me in the process.'
Ga Eul noticed Yi Jung's disappointed actions and decided to call his attention. "You know sunbae… The necklace looks so cute… but I don't think it fits Hea though."
"Because it's for you…" Yi Jung was still looking down in his feet, fidgeting with his hands.
Ga Eul stood up and sat beside him. "Well, care to put it on me?" She rubbed his back and hoped that Yi Jung would look at her. To her dismay, he still didn't look up. She smiled at Yi Jung's childishness. 'Two can play in that game.' She poked Yi Jung's waist. When he jumped at her gesture, she continued tickling him. Yi Jung struggled and tried to tickle her back. He succeeded and they both fell on the floor. Yi Jung caught Ga Eul in his chest so that she wouldn't fall directly on the floor. They continued laughing at what happened.
After a few minutes, their laughter died down. Yi Jung stared at those beautiful chocolate orbs and Ga Eul did the same thing. They held each other's gaze and their hearts suddenly thumped rapidly.
Ga Eul suddenly had the courage to break the deafening silence that was occurring before them. "Soooo… Put it on me now sunbae." She pinched his nose and stood up from the floor. Yi Jung did the same thing and went over to the bear.
He unlocked the necklace on Hea's neck and walked over to where Ga Eul was. "This necklace is specially made for you…" Yi Jung put the necklace on her and pulled out her tucked hair. He turned her around and pulled her into his arms again.
"Come to think of it… You're cuddlier than Hea…" Ga Eul giggled while hugging him back.
Yi Jung chuckled at her comment and was about to say something when his nose caught something… burned? He quickly pulled away from the hug and looked around. Ga Eul stared at him, confused at his actions. She looked at where he's staring at and her eyes widened in shock. "Ga Eul! You're kitchen's burning!" Yi Jung shouted.
Yi Jung didn't have to tell it twice. Ga Eul rushed to the kitchen and went directly to the oven. Yi Jung ran after her and saw her pulling out a tray from the oven. They both coughed at the smoke. Thank goodness it wasn't that thick or else they would have suffocated in the room.
"Augh… My cookies!" Ga Eul exclaimed. She dropped the burnt cookies on the counter.
Yi Jung chuckled and walked over to her. "That reminds me Ga Eul-yang… I was meaning to ask you out this day."
Ga Eul blinked her eyes a few times but she could only utter... "Eh?"
"Yeah. Our first real date." Before Ga Eul can respond, Yi Jung pushed her to the direction of her room. "Hurry and get dressed. Wear something comfortable." Yi Jung closed the door quickly before Ga Eul can even speak her mind.
Yi Jung waited patiently at the living room. When he heard Ga Eul's bedroom door open, his head snapped to the direction of the door. Ga Eul came out wearing skinny jeans and a pink tank top. She wore pink flat shoes and her hair was tied up in a pony tail. She didn't wear make-up but she was absolutely gorgeous with her simplicity.
Ga Eul waved her hand in front of Yi Jung who was staring still, mouth wide open. Yi Jung blinked a few times and he finally gained composure. He gulped before saying, "Shall we go now?" When Ga Eul nodded, he stood up and took her hands in his. They intertwined their fingers and head out for the door.
On the way to their destination, Ga Eul kept asking Yi Jung where they are going but he wouldn't tell. Even a clue didn't slip out of his mouth. Ga Eul decided to give up the subject and looked outside. Ga Eul's curiosity rose when she realized they were driving out of Seoul. She gave glances to Yi Jung's direction but stayed quiet. She knows he still wouldn't tell her.
At last, Yi Jung stopped the car. He exhaled and excitedly said. "We're here!" He went out of the car and rushed to open the car door for Ga Eul. Ga Eul stepped out and gazed around. They were at a some sort of a secluded area.
Yi Jung took her hand and he jerked his head to the hill on his right. They climbed the hill hand in hand and Ga Eul was still not speaking. The small hill had an oak tree on top of it. Yi Jung led her to the direction of the tree and there… a picnic basket was waiting for them.
Yi Jung sat on the blanket and patted the space beside him. He looked at Ga Eul expectantly but she stood still in front of him. He looked at her eyes questioningly. Ga Eul parted her lips as if she was about to say something but she closed it again. "Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jung called out her name.
Ga Eul sighed and stared at him. "You're unbelievable… This is sooo…"
"Sooo? What?" Yi Jung urged her to go on.
"This is so sweet sunbae…" Ga Eul's voice trailed off as she looked at her surroundings. Apparently, the top of the hill was overlooking quite a breathtaking view. A plantain with a few trees scattered all around it. Rose bushed and flower beds are also not hard to miss. It was a great view below them.
Yi Jung chuckled at her amusement. Ga Eul is easy to please but that's one of the things he loved about her. "Come here Ga Eul-yang. Let's eat. I'm hungry."
Ga Eul slowly walked over to him. She sat down on the blanked while Yi Jung was pulling out plates and utensils. "So, what do you have there?"
"Hmmm… My chefs made some caesar salad, clubhouse sandwiches, spaghetti and brownies for dessert. And some canned fruit juices are inside this cooler." He patted the cooler behind him. "So let's eat?"
"I didn't know you eat simple stuffs like these." Ga Eul commented.
"I don't… This is my first time I'm going to eat these things." Yi Jung said as he was serving spaghetti on Ga Eul's plate. He cut it and twirled it with her fork. He held it out to Ga Eul. "Aaaaah!"
Ga Eul giggled and opened her mouth. "Hmm… It's good. Want one too?" Yi Jung nodded as a response. She also twirled spaghetti on Yi Jung's fork and stuffed it into Yi Jung's mouth.
They shared their meal under the oak tree with the perfect breeze passing by them. They talked and laughed. It was a perfect moment for them; a simple yet wonderful date.
"Oh! I forgot something." Yi Jung said while Ga Eul was eating her brownie. He stood up and walked behind the tree. Yi Jung came back after a few seconds with his hands on his back.
"What's that you're hiding?" Ga Eul asked while pointing at his hands.
Yi Jung showed her a bouquet of roses. He leaned over to her and gave the bouquet. "Here… That's freshly picked from the bushes down there." He let out his dimpled grin at her.
Ga Eul, as usual, blushed at this. She took the flowers and inhaled its scent. It was very sweet and fragrant. "Thank you Jung-ah." She stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "This is the loveliest date ever."
(: End of Flashback
Ga Eul was climbing the familiar hill where she and Yi Jung had their first date. As expected, there was a picnic basket waiting for her there but no sign of Yi Jung. She walked over to the basket and found an envelope tied in a red rose. She quickly opened it and unfolded the paper inside it.
My Jagiya,
Hey, this is just your first destination. I know you haven't eaten lunch yet so I had this made for you. Those are the same as the ones we had when we went here. I'm sorry I'm not here to enjoy it with you… But you'll be happy when you knew who would be joining you. Just continue flipping the scrapbook and you won't be disappointed.
Again, happy anniversary. I love you.
Yi Jung
Ga Eul got confused when she read that someone's going to join her... but who?
And then as if on cue, someone called her name. She looked up and her face brightened up.
"Ga Eul! Long time no see!"
